Are paper bags history? A behaviour transformation

As part of the expansion of plants4presents, we acquired 2 acres of glasshouse about 18 months ago and decided that since we’d got them we might as well add organic veg producers to the CV / business empire.

This means I do 2 farmer’s markets a month where as well as flogging lovely organic vegetables, I can keep in contact with what the public are up to, think, buy etc.

This week I pitch up to Uckfield where this week’s market is – get the veg out, put up the point of sale materials and the ticketing. Get the cash box out and ……….. ohmigod – I’ve forgotten the plastic bags.

Like all good tree huggers, we of course recycle the ones we and our chums have collected over the last month through the good offices of messrs. Tesco, Waitrose and Uncle Joe Sainsbury and all.

But this week – to my total astonishment I got through 4 hours without needing one and it was only the last punter of the day who asked for one. Everyone else had dutifully brought their shopping bags.

I think this is a shifting tectonic plate job in consumer norms, behaviours and expectations.

I simply don’t think I would have got away with that even 3 months ago. Is this just a freak result – or does it mean a sudden outbreak of green thinking.